The present invention generally relates to communicating with networked electronic devices. More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling a network-connected device in one peer network from an infrared device connected to another peer network using a Transport Control Protocol and Internet protocol (TCP/IP) and infrared signals. The invention also relates to transferring a level of control of a set-top box operatively connected to another set-top box via a TCP layer.
An increasingly ubiquitous broadband availability of the Internet allows one user to connect to another user via social networks, messenger systems, e-mails, web portals, and a variety of other networked means to transfer, share, and control networked devices and their related data. Today's computer users are exposed to a vast array of choices to connect to their peers using one or more communication networks. However, many available tools for transferring, sharing, and/or controlling networked devices and their related data among users still require installation of application-specific software, a multiple level of network connections (e.g. the Internet, a LAN, a home-appliance network, a closed-circuit private network, and etc.), and a familiarity with certain computer systems. As a result, consumers who do not possess dexterous computer skills or at least some degree of technical aptitude are still hesitant to use currently-available tools to transfer, share, and/or control networked devices and their related data over a multiple number of communication networks with their friends, family members, or colleagues.
Furthermore, a current trend of increased network interoperability requirement and digital convergence of computer systems and a variety of previously-standalone electronic devices (e.g. more demanding interoperability requirement among the Internet, a local-area network (LAN), a personal-area network (PAN) such as Bluetooth and RFID, and previously closed-circuit private network such as a security camera network) place even a heavier burden on consumers to troubleshoot application-specific frustrations arising from device or network incompatibility.
As an example, a household air conditioner in a home appliance network using an alternate current(AC)-modulated communication protocol such as X.25 may now be connected to a wide-area network (WAN) such as the Internet, wherein a user is capable of controlling the household air conditioner beyond the range of the X.25 protocol by simply accessing an Internet terminal. In one instance, the home appliance network may comprise the household air conditioner, a telephone, a television, a dishwasher, an alarm system, and other devices which are simply connected to a household AC outlet using the X.25 protocol which are made compatible to the Internet using a compatible gateway. In another instance, the home appliance network using the X.25 protocol may have a gateway to a local area network (LAN) which includes household computers, wherein the LAN is further connected to an Internet gateway, thereby providing an indirect interoperability between a X.25-connected home appliance device and an Internet-connected device even thousands of miles of away from home.
The increasing complexity in network configurations and interoperability requirement for a variety of networks complicate installation, maintenance, and use of network-connected electronic devices from a user perspective. It is especially burdening for a user to find a simple and durable way to transfer, share, and/or control networked devices and their related data over a variety of different communication networks with their friends, family members, or colleagues.
Therefore, it is highly advantageous to devise an apparatus and a method for controlling a device connected to one user's network from another device connected to another user's network without manual configuration of network interoperability.